3  ^pThey bend their tongue like a bow;

falsehood and not truth has grown strong¹ in the land;

for they proceed from evil to evil,

^qand they do not know me, declares the Lord.

8  ^xTheir tongue is a deadly arrow;

^yit speaks deceitfully;

with his mouth ^zeach speaks peace to his neighbor,

but in his heart ^ahe plans an ambush for him.

21  You shall be ^shidden from the lash of the tongue,

and shall not fear destruction when it comes.

20  In ^zthe cover of your presence you hide them

from the plots of men;

you ^astore them in your shelter

from the strife of tongues.